Agenda item

The Leader introduced the report and noted that he had received some letters from members of the public concerned about the recommendation related to Ward Panels. He stressed that the Council had no plans to abolish the Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panels now or in the future.

The Leader stated that over the past few years there had been a series of commissions and independent reports with residents input on a wide range of subjects to improve services and quality of life. This report was one of these independent reports, done by the resident-led Policing and Crime Commission setting out their recommendations. They were unpaid residents supported by a policy officer. The Council would consider each one of these recommendations but not all of them would be taken. It was a misunderstanding to think that the Council would accept in full all the recommendations proposed by the Commission. He apologised that the report was not clearly stating that.

Councillor Andrew Brown, the Leader of the Opposition, stated that he felt reassured by the comments made by the Leader about not taking forward all of the recommendations proposed by the Commission. He stressed that people involved with the Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panels and community police engagement in the borough had been very concerned about this report.

Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler stated that this report was the same one that went to the Community Safety and Environment Policy and Accountability Committee (CSE PAC) in September, where three of the recommendations were not supported. There had been a huge amount of emails received from the public since this paper was published. Even if the recommendations were only to be noted, she asked for this report to be withdrawn from this Cabinet agenda. Additionally, she questioned whether the Council would make changes to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG).

Councillor Amanda Lloyd-Harris believed that the Council did not have jurisdiction over some of the issues in this report. Therefore, even if this report was only to be noted, she asked Cabinet to withdraw it and bring back to Cabinet an amended version only addressing the issues she believed were within the Council’s remit.

The Leader stated that each independent commission was presented to Cabinet as an independent report for noting and thanking the members of the Commission for their work. He reiterated that this report was produced by independent and unpaid members after undertaken a huge amount of field work, interviews and research to inform their final report. The Council had rejected the recommendation to abolish the Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panels as they were doing a good job. In addition, there was no intention to ever abolish the IAG. The Council would continue to work closely with the Police to ensure crime was reported. It was a longstanding priority to the Council to tackle crime in the borough. The policy development and the recommendations that would be taken forward would be a matter for discussion at PAC, where councillors and the public would have opportunities to intervene.

In relation to reporting crime, Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler asked whether the recommendation 2.2.1 on the appendix, about the crime helpline, had been agreed. The Leader replied that it would not be implemented as described but some better ways of reporting crime would be discussed with the Police and residents.

Sharon Lea, the Strategic Director for the Environment, clarified that this report only asked Cabinet to note the recommendations from the Policing and Crime Commission. The report that went to CSE PAC in September 2020 clearly stated that the Council was not able to support all the recommendations and the ones that would be supported would be subject to a detailed report.

To clarify this Cabinet report Sharon Lea asked for the following two amendments:

·         On Appendix 1 to delete “H&F Officer Response to” from its title so it only reads “Appendix 1 – PCC Recommendations”.

·         Under Financial Impact, after the first sentence to insert “Not all of these recommendations are accepted”.

NOTED UNANIMOUSLY BY CABINET:

That Cabinet:

1.     Notes the recommendations of the Policing & Crime Commission (PCC), as set out in Appendix 1.

2.     Records its thanks and appreciation to the residents and members of the Commission for their sterling work.  

3.     Notes the amendments to the Financial Impact and Appendix 1 as advised at the Cabinet meeting.